New head pro takes over at NOTL Golf Club

After only two summers in the pro shop, Keith Vant has left his position as the head professional at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club, to be replaced by new head pro Max Murphy, who takes over on Feb. 5. 

“We are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club family,” said a press release from the club Tuesday afternoon. “Max Murphy will be joining us as the head professional at our esteemed golf club. This announcement marks a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering an exceptional golf experience for all of our members at North America’s oldest golf course.”

The email went on to espouse Murphy’s impressive background in golf and his passion for enhancing the golfing experience. 

The 27-year-old comes to NOTL from the Cherry Hill Club, a private course in nearby Ridgeway. The Thorold native is extremely excited to step into his first head professional role in NOTL. 

“I’ve always wanted to run my own operation,” Murphy says, “so to take this next step is huge. It’s what I’ve been working for.”

Murphy graduated from Georgian College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in golf management. Along the way he has worked in turf maintenance at Muskoka Lakes Golf and Country Club, as a golf retail associate at Fairmont Banff Springs and spent seven years at Cherry Hill, the past six as their assistant professional. 

Murphy says it was one of the NOTL club’s owners, Marc Forbes, who reached out to him about the job when he was golfing at Cherry Hill one day. 

“He’s a member at Cherry Hill,” Murphy says of Forbes. “Knowing that he was an owner in Niagara-on-the-Lake, I’ve always wanted to play there, but I have never really had the chance. I can’t wait to get out onto the course the first few weeks once it opens. It’s one of the first things I’m going to do.”

Murphy knows there will be some big changes in moving from a private 18-hole tract to a 9-hole layout that caters to members as well as the public. But he sees the job itself as not all that different. 

“It’s all about the standard that you set for yourself in the operation,” Murphy explains. “You have to create a balance between the members and the public golfers. It’s all about creating the experience at the end of the day, one that will get people coming back. I’ve always been a customer service person, about creating a top-level experience.”

Besides his work in the pro shop Murphy looks forward to getting to know the members and revamping the summer program for kids. 

“At Cherry Hill I ran the junior program,” says the graduate of Denis Morris Catholic Secondary School. “I have quite the experience working with the young players. We did six-week camps there with about 50 kids over three or four age divisions. I love working with the kids.” 

“Max’s expertise in league and tournament management, golf instruction, and his dedication to providing top-notch service, align perfectly with our club’s values,” continued the club’s press release. “We believe that (he) will play a pivotal role in elevating our golf operations by providing a welcoming atmosphere and contributing to the overall success of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club.”

Murphy tells The Local that the first order of business come Monday is beginning to take the steps to get the pro shop ready for spring. 

“Sitting down, contacting all of our suppliers, letting them know I’m the new pro,” he says. “There’s a lot on the table for that first day. After that it will be a month or so of slowly getting the shop ready. I always say you don’t know how much room you have in a pro shop until it’s full of boxes you have to unpack. And I’ll be double-
checking on the tournament schedule here, too.”

“I’m super-excited for this opportunity,” he adds. “It’s exactly what I’ve been working towards.”